Union Watch Highlights

By Jack Dean, on July 3rd, 2012

USA’s top teachers union losing members
By Greg Toppo, July 3, 2012, USA TODAY

The USA’s largest teachers union is losing members and revenue, potentially threatening its political clout. The National Education Association (NEA) has lost more than 100,000 members since 2010. By 2014, union projections show, it could lose a cumulative total of about 308,000 full-time teachers and other workers, a 16% drop from 2010.

Lost dues will shrink NEA’s budget an estimated $65 million, or 18%. NEA calls the membership losses “unprecedented” and predicts they may be a sign of things to come. “Things will never go back to the way they were,” reads its 2012-14 strategic plan, citing changing teacher demographics, attempts by some states to restrict public employee collective bargaining rights and an “explosion” in online learning that could sideline flesh-and-blood teachers. “We may be a little smaller, but we won’t be weaker — we’ll be stronger,” NEA President Dennis Van Roekel said. He said teachers “have been energized” by lawmakers’ bids in some states to make it harder to join a public-sector union. The losses hit as thousands of delegates convene this week in Washington, D.C., for NEA’s annual meeting. Democratic candidates for the White House traditionally have lined up to court the group and its 2.2 million members. (read article)

Labor Unions Suffer Defeat on Taxpayer Revolt
By Gina Loudon, July 3, 2012, Townhall

Californians, struggling with an $18 billion budget deficit, stuck with a Sacramento political class owned by Democrats who in turn are owned by labor unions, are facing a massive tax increase in November that will give California the unenviable distinction of having the highest per capita tax burden in the Country. Even modest efforts to reign in spending or do serious pension reform are easily thwarted by big labor lobbyists. For average Californians however, statistics like over 5000 former government workers receiving taxpayer funded pension payouts over six figures annually are really striking nerves. The notoriously generous left of center California voters appear to be in full revolt and they are taking it out on big labor. Less than a month ago, June primary voters in San Diego and even San Jose, voted to reform public employee pensions, ending budget busting defined benefit plans in favor of the traditional defined contribution plans that most Americans have. The efforts were fought by big labor vigorously but even the Democrat mayor of San Jose successfully urged voters to draw a line with unions and give him flexibility to balance the city budget. (read article)
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